The 2-(chloro, bromo or nitro)-4-(sulfo)(halo or dihalo)methylbenzenes of this invention are useful in the preparation of certain 2-(chloro, bromo or nitro)-4-alkylsulfonyl-benzoyl-1,3-cyclohexanedione herbicides, such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,946,981 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,006,158. The 2-(chloro, bromo or nitro)-4-(sulfo)(halo or dihalo)methylbenzene is oxidized to its corresponding 2-(chloro, bromo or nitro)-4-sulfobenzoic acid. The 2-(chloro, bromo or nitro)-4-sulfobenzoic acid can be used to prepare a 2-(chloro, bromo or nitro)-4-(alkylsulfonyl)benzoic acid, which can then be converted to its acid chloride or cyanide, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,008,448. The resulting acid chloride or cyanide can then be reacted with certain 1,3-cyclohexanediones according to the process of U.S. Pat. No. 4,695,673 or U.S. Pat. No. 4,708,127.